The Deals: ‘Yellowstone’ & ‘Avengers’ Composer Brian Tyler Sells Music Rights to CEG

Too Lost acquired Australian indie music distribution and artist services company GYRO.Group, marking its first acquisition after securing a strategic investment led by GoldState Music and TA Associates. The deal allows Too Lost to expand its presence in Australia, New Zealand and the greater Asia-Pacific market (APAC).

Headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, GYRO.Group’s portfolio includes G.Y.R.O., an indie distribution, marketing and artist services platform; DistroDirect, a global white-label distribution and infrastructure platform supporting more than 500 labels, managers, studios and music businesses in 40 markets, according to a press release; GROUP SPEED, a boutique marketing company focused on global growth strategy and audience development for artists; and Soothe Sounds, an invite-only distribution and recorded music service dedicated to neo-classical and contemporary instrumental music.

Too Lost and GYRO.Group will jointly continue to invest in artist and DistroDirect partner advances, catalog acquisitions, and music tech and services.

GRYO.Group co-founders Viv Mellish and Alex Wilson, along with executives Matthew Rogers and Adrian Burke, will continue leading GYRO.Group day-to-day. Andy Irvine, co-founder and CEO of GYRO.Group, will join Too Lost as head of APAC.

“We have long admired GYRO.Group and their commitment to delivering best-in-class technology and service as an artist-first company,” said Gregory Hirschhorn, CEO and Co-Founder of Too Lost. “Australia has one of the most exciting independent music communities in the world, and we intend to invest heavily behind G.Y.R.O. to continue supporting artists, labels, managers, and music businesses throughout the APAC region.”

Added Irvine: “From our earliest conversations, it was clear that Too Lost shared our vision around empowering independent artists and labels through technology, transparency, and service. For our artists and partners, G.Y.R.O. remains the same Australian-made, artist-first company they know, now backed by additional resources, technology, and global reach to help accelerate more artist careers. We launched G.Y.R.O. to help export Australian and New Zealand artists while supporting independent musicians around the world. That mission remains unchanged. Joining forces with Too Lost allows us to continue building on that foundation while expanding the opportunities available to our artists, partners, and team.” — Chris Eggertsen

Artist Legacy Group (ALG) signed on to represent the estate of singer, songwriter and founding frontman of Grammy-winning pop group The Mavericks. ALG will oversee the estate’s intellectual property rights, business interests and archival assets. It will also aim to bring in opportunities for media projects, brand partnerships and consumer products.

“We are so grateful to the Malo Family for allowing us to be part of this next chapter,” said ALG founder and CEO Ashley Austin. “Raul had that once-in-a-generation voice, but what made him truly extraordinary was his ability to bridge styles, cultures, and generations. Our role is to protect that legacy while developing authentic, enduring ways to keep his music in conversation with the world.”

Betty Malo, executrix of the estate of Raul Malo, added, “When an artist leaves behind a lifetime of music, creativity, and influence, preserving that legacy becomes more than a personal responsibility—it becomes a duty. That’s why I engaged Ashley Austin as our estate manager: to professionally protect Raul’s intellectual property, oversee opportunities that honor his wishes, and ensure that every decision reflects the extraordinary artist and man he was.”

Malo died in December at age 60. — Chris Eggertsen

Warner Music Finland acquired the music catalog and publishing rights of Finnish label Mökkitie Records. Founded in 2012, Mökkitie has operated “in close collaboration” with Warner Music for almost a decade, according to a press release. It has released works by artists including Arttu Wiskair, Erika Vikman, Mira Luoti and Olli Halonen.

Mökkitie’s artists, “founding members and key personnel” will join Warner Music Finland under the deal, the release adds. Among them are Wiskair, who has signed a new multi-year artist agreement with Warner Music Finland; Janne Rintala, who “will continue as a key creative force in the songwriting teams”; Mökkitie managing director Olli Saksa, who is joining Warner Music Finland’s A&R team; and producer Mika Laakkonen, who will focus on studio and leading the new label Katutaso, which signed a distribution agreement with Warner Music Finland earlier this year.

Ramona Forsström, managing director of Warner Music Finland, said in a statement, “Mökkitie Records has an exceptional track record in the Finnish industry, genuinely shaping the domestic music scene with its distinctive, story-driven approach. Having witnessed its success story up close for years, this acquisition is a natural milestone in our long-term partnership. I’m delighted to continue our close cooperation with the Mökkitie team. Their A&R instincts and ability to cultivate stellar musical talent are first-class, and we highly value the opportunity to integrate their expertise into our operations.”

Added Saksa, “Our nine-year label collaboration with Warner Music has yielded countless releases, signings, live shows, and chart-topping hits. Transferring this incredible catalog and legacy to Warner Music is the natural next step in our shared evolution. We’re collectively energized about the future and look forward to what we can achieve in the coming years.” — Chris Eggertsen

Cinq Music Group, part of GoDigital Music, partnered with talent discovery and artist development platform C.R.E.A.M to extend the global reach of emerging artists from Africa. With more than 7 million subscribers in Nigeria, C.R.E.A.M connects artists with audiences through content monetization, fan engagement and more.

As part of the deal, Cinq Music acquired the catalog of D’Banj, the Afrobeats singer and rapper who founded C.R.E.A.M. Which specific rights Cinq purchased was not immediately clear.

One key component of the partnership is C.R.E.A.M’s talent competition Best of the Streets (B.O.T.S.), which will return in October to identify promising emerging artists from across Africa. Cinq Music will sign and develop 10 artists selected through the program, providing them with global distribution, marketing support, funding opportunities and more. C.R.E.A.M creators not selected to sign with Cinq will have access to distribution and monetization services through Octiive, another GoDigital company.

According to a press release, the partnership is “supported and managed” by Immensum Music.

D’Banj, who serves as CEO of C.R.E.A.M, said in a statement, “C.R.E.A.M was founded to create opportunities for talented young people and connect African creatives to the audiences, resources, and platforms they need to succeed.” He added “Through this partnership with Cinq music group, we are expanding that vision by creating a direct pathway for emerging artists to access global development, distribution, and career opportunities. Together, we are building a stronger future for African talent and ensuring the next generation can compete and thrive on the world stage from their home country in Africa.”

“African music has moved beyond having a ‘moment’ on the global stage. It is fundamentally shifting the sound and energy of the entire industry, influencing genres from Latin to Country,” added Fotemah Mba, head of A&R and African expansion at Cinq. “What D’Banj has built with C.R.E.A.M is unlike anything else. It’s a massive, grassroots engine that connects directly with the heart of independent talent. At Cinq, our mission has always been to empower creators with data-driven infrastructure and true partnership. By plugging C.R.E.A.M’s Best In The Streets pipeline into our global distribution and marketing ecosystem, we aren’t just signing great new artists, we are building a permanent, scalable highway for the next wave of African superstars to reach audiences worldwide.” — Chris Eggertsen

Singer, songwriter, producer and Hootie & the Blowfish lead guitarist Mark Bryan launched a record label, Stone Point Records. The Charleston, S.C.-based label will release new music from rising artists, as well as Bryan’s solo work, in association with Nashville marketing and label services company Vere Music, which has a global distribution pact with Warner Music Group’s ADA. Notably, Vere Music is led by Rusty Harmon, Hootie & the Blowfish’s former manager.

Stella Budde will run Stone Point Records’ day-to-day operations as general manager, while studio engineer Mikey Costanzo will oversee all recording activities as executive producer.

“I’ve never wanted to have a record label before because my true passion is about the music,” says Bryan. “But I realized that if I’m this passionate about the creative side of things, then I want the songs to have a proper release. I don’t want to just leave them sitting on the studio floor. With Stone Point Records, I’m able to release this music properly, which makes it more worth even doing the hard work on the creative end. I’m thrilled to be working with Rusty again as we try and navigate the ways of music distribution in the current landscape. I look forward to releasing timeless recordings with emerging artists, as well as established faves.”

Added Harmon, “I’ve had the privilege of working with Mark for decades, first as his manager during the early years of Hootie & the Blowfish and now as his distribution partner in this new chapter with Stone Point Records. Mark has always had a unique ability to discover and nurture talent, and that instinct has only grown stronger over time. Watching him step into the role of label head feels like a natural evolution of everything he’s built as an artist and creative leader. At Vere Music, we’re proud to support Stone Point Records with the marketing, distribution, and strategic execution needed to bring these artists to a wider audience. We’re excited to be back in business together and to help bring Mark’s vision for this next generation of talent to life.”

The first release from Stone Point Records is Mark Bryan and the Screaming Trojans’ “I Wanna Feel Alright,” available now. Future releases will include works from Skyler Waddell’s The Stono River Project and SusAF, described as “the insurgent nom de guerre of a veteran artist with sales of more than 25M records though not previously known for incendiary agit-punk.” — Chris Eggertsen

Knitting Factory Entertainment acquired a minority equity stake in Wilmington, N.C.-based Does Entertainment, a venue development and guest experience company. Together, the companies will pursue new growth opportunities across concert promotion, venue ownership, talent buying, festivals and more while continuing to operate independently.

“Our relationship with Does Entertainment has demonstrated exactly what we look for in a partner,” said Morgan Margolis, CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment, in a statement. “Over the past year we’ve had the opportunity to work alongside Jared Stone, Kevin Heaton, Tom Stinchfield, and their team, and have been incredibly impressed with both their entrepreneurial spirit and operational discipline. They’ve built a remarkable company with a culture that closely aligns with ours. This investment creates a platform that can pursue opportunities neither company could achieve alone, and we see tremendous potential to grow together for years to come.”

The relationship between Knitting Factory and Does started in 2025, when the companies began working to strengthen programming and artist relationships at Denver venue Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, where Knitting Factory has a talent-buying partnership.

“As independent companies, we each bring different strengths to the table,” said Jared Stone, CEO of Does Entertainment. “Knitting Factory has spent decades building one of the most respected independent entertainment companies in North America, and their relationships and operational expertise are second to none. From our first collaboration, we recognized that our cultures aligned remarkably well. This partnership gives us access to an incredible strategic partner while allowing us to keep growing Does Entertainment in the entrepreneurial way that’s made us successful.” — Chris Eggertsen